This article reports on a range of Brazilian artistic expressions to provide a selection of “tropical” values under the general heading of Tropicalism in the latter part of the 1960s. This movement was noted for its contradictory expressions that are in a state of constant renewal, and according to the anonymous author of this article, leave “a trail of questions” concerning their precise intentions. The inclusion of traditional elements of Brazilian culture with others that are more closely identified with contemporary European and North American culture has caused confusion concerning the exact ideological position taken by this generation of artists. This article speculates on whether recent creative works produced in film, the theater, music, and the visual arts are representative of a group response that seeks to break with ideas about “progress” that have been accepted until this point in time. Are they suggesting that Brazil will assume the role of “Third World Superpower”?
The title of the article, “O tropicalismo é nosso, viu?” [Tropicalism is Ours, Get It?] is an allusion to the nationalist mood of the second Getúlio Vargas administration and the official campaign slogan “O petróleo é nosso” (whose goal was to support Petrobrás, the state oil company) that was used in the 1950s in defense of this non-renewable resource.
Relating to this article, see the essay by Hélio Oiticica about his work Tropicália [ICAA digital archive, doc. no. 1074985], and Celso Favaretto’s review of Tropicalismo and the songs that were part of this movement (doc. no. 1110507).